反目成仇

fǎnmùchéngchóu

idiom #43,126

Meanings

1 to fall out and become enemies
2 to turn against each other; to have a bitter falling-out

Characters

to turn against

Examples

为了一点钱，兄弟俩反目成仇。

Wèile yīdiǎn qián, xiōngdì liǎ fǎn mù chéng chóu.

Over a little money, the two brothers turned on each other as enemies.

合伙人因为利益分配不公而反目成仇。

Héhuǒrén yīnwèi lìyì fēnpèi bùgōng ér fǎn mù chéng chóu.

The partners fell out bitterly over unfair profit-sharing.

一场误会让多年的好友反目成仇。

Yī chǎng wùhuì ràng duōnián de hǎoyǒu fǎn mù chéng chóu.

A single misunderstanding turned longtime friends into enemies.

Tips

history

Found in 《红楼梦》 Chapter 57: '怜新弃旧，反目成仇的多着呢' — 'plenty of people fall in love anew, cast off the old, and turn into enemies.' The phrase was already common in Qing vernacular.

memory

反目 literally 'eyes turned against' — from 《周易》 imagery of eyes no longer meeting. 成仇 = 'become enemies.' The sequence: friendship/family → turn eyes against each other → become enemies.

Stroke Order

反 fǎn

目 mù

成 chéng

仇 chóu